Current Affairs Quiz-September, 2020

Notes:
As per the credit rating agency CRISIL, Indian economy will contract by 9 per cent in 2020-21 on account of COVID 19 pandemic.
The agency has stated that the infection is yet to peak and the financial assistance provided by the Government is not sufficient. Earlier in May 2020, Crisil had estimated the economy to contract by 5 per cent

Notes:
Germany has recently carried out the first nationwide test of its civil alarm systems since the end of the Cold War.
The country has also newly created National Warning Day, or Warntag, which is to be observed every year on September 10. Several alarms were sounded to alert the public to create the awareness about the measures to be taken in the backdrop of a national emergency.

Notes:
Meghalaya government has recently launched Piggery Mission with an outlay of Rs 200 Crore. The biggest piggery project aims to reduce the annual import of pork worth Rs 150 Crore.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has launched the project. National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has partnered with Meghalaya to implement the ‘Meghalaya State Piggery Mission’.

Notes:
According to the Asian Development Bank, Asia’s economy will contract for the first time since the early 1960s.
The bank had earlier projected that the GDP would grow by 0.1 per cent. Now, it is estimated that Asia’s GDP would decline by 0.7 per cent in 2020 and would increase to 7.7 per cent in 2021. It also highlighted that the GD in India would contract by 9% this year.

Notes:
The new Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, introduced by the government empowers RBI to restructure Cooperative banks.
The bill was tabled on the first day of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The bill which came in the form of ordinance was earlier withdrawn. Under this amendment, the Reserve Bank of India can restructure distressed cooperative banks.

Notes:
National Engineers Day is celebrated on September 15 across the country, to mark the birth anniversary of eminent engineer M Visvesvaraya.
Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was born on September 15, 1861 in Karnataka. He served as the Chief engineer in Mysore and had contributed to several technical projects in Hyderabad, Mysore, Maharashtra and Odisha, including the block system of irrigation in the Deccan canals.

Notes:
The Horticulture Department of the Jammu and Kashmir has launched the Flagship programme ‘Backyard Horticulture’ under CAPEX scheme.
The programme aims to promote organic fruit production for home consumption. Under the programme, three fruit plants will be distributed among the farmers at 90% subsidy. It increases self-sustenance and also preserves environment.

Notes:
The Lok Sabha has passed the Salary, Allowances and Pension of MPs (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
The Bill would reduce the salaries of Members of Parliament by 30 % for a period of 1 year to meet the exigencies arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this year, the government had brought an ordinance in this regard.

Notes:
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has permitted SII – Serum Institute of India to resume clinical trials of COVID vaccine, which was paused last week as per an order by DCGI.
The SII is conducting trials of the vaccine being developed by Oxford University’s Jenner Institute and Astra Zeneca. DCGI has advised SII to take additional care during the trial and to submit the details of medication to ensure that it in accordance with the protocol for the management of adverse events.

Notes:
In the latest edition of the World Bank’s annual Human Capital Index, India has been ranked at the 116th position.
The index ranks countries on the basis of key components of human capital. India’s score increased to 0.49 from its earlier score of 0.44 in 2018. This year, the index includes health and education data for 174 countries, up to March 2020. It also reveals that more than 1 billion children are out of school.